First Bodies of Killed American Servicemen Brought to Spanish Military Base Rota

The bodies of nine American servicemen who were killed in Iraq were brought to the Spanish air and naval base Rota which, in keeping with an agreement between Spain and the USA, is used by the American Air Force and Navy. The bodies will be transported to the USA within the next few hours, the local radio station Canal Zur reported quoting the Spanish civilians working at the base.

As Defence Minister of Spain Federico Trillo earlier said in parliament, a premise with 116 beds was prepared in Rota specially for receiving U.S. servicemen who were wounded in Iraq and for giving them emergency medical aid. A field military hospital for 500 patients is also being built.

Before that, the Spanish mass media reported that a morgue had been prepared in Rota before the war operations in Iraq were launched.